Cancer Vixen: A True Story

It's hard to pin down why this book is as good as it is; objectively there's not that much of a story here. But I think her visual sense makes it stand out from the general 'illness memoir' genre, particularly the way she transforms her treatment's tedious repetitions into visual repetitions.

Marisa is a cartoonist who developed Breast Cancer and wrote about it as it was happening. It has all the panic and stress and repeition that goes with cancer and treatment. It reminded me of my own treatment without making me too depressed about it and reminded me of shiny moments that I sould

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continue to grasp.

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This is the second graphic novel I have read. The cancer sections were good--the author captured the shock of diagnois, the problems of treatment, the fear cancer patients deal with. I hated the rest of the content--too much New York chic-chic stuff--libstick colors, shoes styles, food.
The

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graphics were good. One thing I did agree with--the examination gown ratings--that gave me a really good laugh.

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I LOVED this book! It got me choked up, it made me smile and most of all it made me laugh. It was gutsy and honest and straight from the heart. There are so many personal accounts of cancer out there but this one is unique and was enjoyable to read. I even learned a thing or two. It has seriously

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changed my attitude towards graphic books as well.

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"What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-addressed, wine-swelling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married big-city cartoonist with a fabulous life finds...a lump?" In this memoir, Marisa shares her life story and her battle with cancer with humorous illustrations and

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amusing captions. Find out all about the cartoonist who has drawn for the New Yorker and Glamour.

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This is the true story, told as a graphic novel, of a NYC cartoonist and her battle with breast cancer. She is diagnosed mere weeks before her wedding to resturantuer Silvano Marchetto, and between that, her job, and the constant nuisance of models hitting on her fiance, things start to get a

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little harried. The comic format lends levity when needed, but never detracts from the serious parts. Since Marchetto describes every excrutiating step of her diagnosis and treatment in great detail, I learned a lot about the process. My mom had breast cancer a few years ago (she survived and is doing fine now, thank goodness), but since I was living 700 miles away at the time I didn't really experience it first-hand. I don't usually like reading survivor stories, but this one was pleasantly non-glurgy, even if I couldn't always relate to her fashionista tendencies. This is something I would urge all women to read, especially those dealing with a recent diagnosis. It's funny and touching and ultimately uplifting.

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Surprisingly, "Cancer Vixen" was brightly coloured with exaggerated comic style pictures. I assumed a true story about a battle with cancer would look like a sombre black and white story. This graphic novel was a sassy interpretation of one woman's battle with cancer. The illustrator's use of

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symbolism is amazing and the book is a lot of fun to read.

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Light-hearted graphic memoir of 40-something cartoonist's cancer diagnosis and treatment. A Sex & the City-style New Yorker, Marchetto is on the brink of marriage for the first time when she finds out she has cancer. She chronicles her experience in great detail, from the kinds of shoes she wears

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to chemo appointments, to the number of injections she receives, to the reactions of family and friends, and details her spiritual growth along the way.

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Engaging story for both genders, which moves more to a life story than a tragedy.